Think pink! AFD selling pink T-shirts for cancer prevention

By Chad Wilson in The Athens Review
Athens — Athens’ is turning pink. In support of preventing all forms of cancer, the Athens Fire Department is sponsoring the Athens Cares Enough to Wear Pink campaign by selling pink T-shits across town, in preparation for the Oct. 21 Pink Out football game between the Athens Hornets and the Brownsboro Bears.

“Coach Paul Essary has let us use a game for everybody to wear pink, and has been very supportive. We are also in the process of working something out with the Athens volleyball team to do a Pink Out day at one of their games,” Athens firefighter Chris House said.

The shirts are $10 each. They are available in youth small to adult 5XL. “The proceeds go to local families, and we average helping four or five families a year with the proceeds from the sales of the shirts,” House said. “We did something similar to Make a Wish last year, where we used the proceeds to help grant a wish for a family battling cancer. Last year, we helped a school teacher who was just returning from M.D. Anderson, and we called and asked if we could buy Thanksgiving dinner for them. They had good jobs, but it meant a lot to them not having to worry about the dinner.”

All the proceeds from the sale remains local, and the demand for the shirts is at an all-time high in the program’s third year. “We have had a lot of support, and it continues to grow every year. We are averaging 250-300 shirts more every year. We have several businesses that have helped us out in the past, that we could not do this without them,” House said.

The shirts are sold at Trinity Valley Community College, Athens High School, Coffee Love, Cherry Laurel and Island Tans.

More than 2,000 shirts have sold this year. It took until mid-October for the same amount to be sold last year. Creative Graphics designed the shirt featuring a new design that has been very popular in the community.

The front of the shirt displays the Athens Fire Department shield in the upper left-hand corner, while the back has a larger graphic. The back of the shirt has two angel-like wings on either side of a fire truck and the shield, while Athens Fire Department is above the graphic, and “Heroes Wear Pink” is below.

House said the firefighters will wear the shirts on calls for three days leading up to the Pink Out game against Brownsboro, as the entire department is committed to helping extinguish cancer.